Christmas Eve
by Broadwaylover5300
Summary: Hairspray fic. CornyAmber. Amber and Corny are forced to spend Christmas Eve apart.


**Hi! I heard this song a few days ago and I decided that I had to write a story around it, but I wasn't sure how to do it, until it suddenly came to me this morning!**

**The song is Merry Christmas, Darling by ****The**** Carpenters. I don't own the song.**

_Greeting cards have all been sent_

_The Christmas rush is through_

_But I still have one wish to make_

_A special one for you_

Amber sat by the window, watching as snowflakes silently fell outside. The Christmas lights, hung on the house, cast a colorful glow on the snow covering the lawn like a white blanket. The Christmas tree stood in the corner, casting a soft glow across the room, ornaments shining brightly, the star gleaming in its golden glory. Christmas songs played softly from the turntable, filling the room. Tears silently spilled down Amber's cheeks as she stared out the window, for, as perfect as everything seemed, there was one thing missing.

_Merry Christmas, darling_

_We're apart, that's true_

_But I can dream, and in my dreams_

_I'm Christmas-__ing__ with you_

Corny was gone this year. During late spring, he had been drafted and sent to Vietnam, and that's where he was this Christmas, marching in some far-flung jungle somewhere in one of the corners of the earth, constantly worrying about whether each day would be his last, instead of being back home, with Amber, sipping hot chocolate by the fire, staring at the beautiful tree, wrapping his arms around her, whispering sweet things in her ear, pressing his lips against hers, tasting her lipstick, running his fingers through her smooth hair.

Amber needed him. She needed him to be with her, to make her happy, to make Christmas a joyful time again. She needed him to walk through that door and throw his arms around her. She knew that this could never be, however. It was Christmas Eve, and even if he left right at this moment, he would never make it back in time. She could still dream, however, and that was what she had been doing lately, dreaming that Corny was home, here to celebrate Christmas with her.

_Holidays are joyful_

_There's always something new_

_But every day's a holiday_

_When I'm near to you_

Corny sat in a crude metal shack, listening to the rain pounding against the roof, running off of it and plopping into the thick mud outside. He looked around the room at the rest of his platoon, sitting on the dirty tile floor.

This was no way to spend Christmas Eve, huddled in a filthy one-room shack in the middle of some foreign country, constantly worried that somebody might come along and blow one's head off. Christmas Eve was to be spent with somebody that one loved, lying on the couch, sipping apple cider and hot chocolate, eating Christmas candies, and watching the Christmas specials that the networks aired on TV every year.

"Hey, Collins?" the sergeant in charge of the platoon asked.

"Yeah?" Corny asked, looking up.

"Would you take night watch tonight? Howard was supposed to do it, but he got himself too drunk to do it."

Corny sighed as he picked up his gun. "Yeah, sure," he said as he walked out into the driving rain.

_The lights on my tree_

_I wish you could see_

_I wish it every day_

_Logs on the fire_

_Fill me with desire_

_To see you and to say_

Amber sighed as she laid there and covered herself with a blanket. The warmth enveloped her, and she felt herself getting sleepier and sleepier. Tomorrow would be Christmas day, a day that was meant to be full of happiness and joy. The fire crackled and popped in the fireplace and the music kept playing, and she realized that Corny wouldn't want her to be sad right now. He would want her to be happy, to be excited for the day ahead, and it was at that moment that Amber resolved to be happy.

Corny sat outside, watching as the rain slid off of the palm fronds, landed on his boots, listening as the drops landed on his helmet, listening as the wind whistled through the air. He knew that his thoughts at the moment should have been on keeping an eye out for any enemy attacks, but his thoughts kept wandering toward Amber, back home in Baltimore. He hoped that she was sitting in front of a fire, sipping cider and cocoa, that she was warm, and that she was happy. He wished badly that he was there, but he knew that he couldn't be, so he did the next best thing, hoped that Amber was happy and safe.

_I wish you merry Christmas_

_Happy New Year, too_

_I've just one wish_

_On this Christmas Eve_

_I wish I was with you_

Amber got up. After turning off the turntable, putting out the fire, and turning off the lights on the tree, she walked over to the open window. The snow had stopped, all was silent. She stared out the window for a little bit, then said softly, "Merry Christmas, Corny."

Corny sat outside and listened as the wind and rain died down for moment, and it became almost peaceful in the jungle for a moment, almost as if there wasn't a war on, and that all was right with the world, and it was at this moment that Corny whispered, "Merry Christmas, Amber."

_I've just one wish_

_On this Christmas Eve_

_I wish I was with you_

_I wish I was with you…_

**As always, please review!**


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